Feb. 25,2020
Statement: Edsa People Power Anniversary
More than three decades ago, we, Filipinos, toppled a president, who used all means possible to consolidate power and amass wealth. It was a military regime that exploited and oppressed people, a regime of unfettered corruption and fascistic suppression of dissent. The government of Ferdinand E. Marcos, a dictator, was determined to hold on to power for eternity.
Contrary to inaccurate lore that the February 1986 uprising,
a People Power “revolution,” was an instantaneous event erupting through a
supportive response of the people to a military mutiny against the Marcos
government, the truth remains, that uprising would never have been possible
without the painstaking work of many, who struggled against the unjust and
oppressive system, people who dedicated their lives in educating, organizing
and mobilizing the poor and toiling majority.
They came from various groups, from the peasants, the
workers, the youth, the artists, the professionals, the church people. All of
them worked for meaningful actions against dictatorship and towards the
assertion of democracy. They risked their lives: many suffered detention,
torture, and separation from loved ones. We owe the victory to those who
committed their intellectual gifts, precious time, talents , hard work and material
wealth to serve the interest of the poor.
We honor the great testimony of church people in their
commitment to follow the commandment of loving their neighbors. Courageously,
they offered their faith resources, providing services to the poor and defending
the political, social, cultural and economic rights of the people, despite the
dangers. We salute their devotion and spirituality, expressed through their
participation in the struggle for life with dignity. Identifying with the
suffering people, they humbly became one among the poor, being persecuted and
oppressed by the dictatorship.
Today, we remember such struggle. We are reminded that the
prophetic call to side with the oppressed is still relevant and necessary. The
tyrannical attacks against the people, including extra- judicial killings, by
the current administration of President Rodrigo Duterte have been relentless.
Church people, who identify with the struggle and aspirations of the people are
persecuted, maligned, and, at times, even murdered. Executive Order 70, also
called the Whole of Nation Approach, is simply a weaponized and militarized
governance that blatantly violates human rights and the people’s democratic
rights.
As we remember People Power and its historic contribution to
the journey of our nation towards a more just and democratic society, we call
upon the faithful to steadfastly hold-the-grip of mission, ministry and of
prophetic work in the struggle for truth, justice, and peace in our land. We
denounce the evil of our present realities and proclaim our aspiration: to be a
nation that is free from tyranny and foreign domination, a nation that defends
its people and the gifts of nature, a nation that values our patrimony and
upholds and embraces our identity as Filipinos.
